Primate experimentation in the U.S. is out of control.
The most accurate numbers available indicate that approximately 120,000
primates are imprisoned in US labs, an all-time high.

Funding for primate experimentation has also increased
reaching $1.6 billion during fiscal 2002. The National Institutes of
Health (NIH) is responsible for most of this waste, contributing over
$950 million to the total. The number of NIH-funded primate projects has
increased 67% in the last ten years. Other government agencies funding
this atrocity include the National Science Foundation, United States
Department of Agriculture, and the Department of Defense.

Widespread Misery

Many different species of primates including macaque
monkeys, squirrel monkeys, baboons, and chimpanzees are experimented on
in many different ways. Macaque monkeys are used most often, with
baboons second and squirrel monkeys third.

Isolation is severely stressful to primates. In fact,
10% of isolated primates are so severely stressed that they begin to
engage in self-injurious behavior. Many different psychological
experiments also stress primates severely.

Suffering Primates inside UCLA Labs

Many of the primates within the labs of UCLA have
serious pathological conditions. Intestinal parasites are common.
Serious bacterial infections result from many of the most invasive
research protocols.

The psychological well-being of the primates at UCLA
is also a major issue. Internal UCLA records indicate the seriousness of
the situation. Apparently some of the primates at UCLA have become
self-destructive – injuring themselves repeatedly.

Primate 9730 -- “Animal has history of ulceration @
tip of tail following amputation on 3/25/03. Please follow the healing
since he recently removed granulated/scabbed over tail tip.” Other
injuries included: 3/7/03 severed gastrocnemius tendon; 3/21/03 deep
laceration to tail; 3/25 palm laceration; 12/11/03 laceration to upper
lip; 12/13/03 laceration to upper lip reopened; 2/11/04 ulcerated tail
tip. We believe that this is a clear instance of self-mutilation due to
psychological stress. On 4-19-04 the chemical mptp was injected into the
carotid artery; this drug mimics Parkinson’s disease.

Primate 30303 JACK – First diagnostics done on 5/24/03
– positive for enterococcus and staphylococcus bacteria; and candida
yeast infections. A very acute head cap infection is noted on 6/6/03;
the head cap infection persists to at least 6/23/03. On 2-19-04 eye
coils are implanted.

Primate 9797 – Surgical stereotaxic implantation of
deep stimulator and electrode into the subthalmic nucleus of the brain
on 4/14/04

UCLA Experiments

Many primates at UCLA are used in brain-mapping
experiments. These projects attach recording cylinders to the skulls of
these innocent animals. Eye coils are implanted. Electrodes are forced
into the brain. Primates are also confined to restraint chairs and
deprived of water for extended periods of time, as much as 22 hours per
day.

Craniotomies are often performed on primates at UCLA.
These procedures cut holes into the animals’ skull for the insertion of
electrodes into the brain. Other procedures cut openings into the
membranes that protect the brain for electrode insertion. Restraint bars
are attached to the skulls of these animals, so their heads can
literally be bolted into place during experimental procedures.

Government Waste

Most primates are not used in experiments that study
the diseases that kill most Americans. Projects that study primate
psychology, alcohol & addictive drugs, brain-mapping, and sex in
primates far outnumber studies involving heart disease or cancer.

Repetition is rampant among NIH-funded projects.
Currently, 175 NIH projects study neural information processing in
macaque monkeys. These useless experiments waste over $70 million in
federal tax dollars every year. Many of these projects continue on for
decades wasting millions of tax dollars each year and victimizing
primates for an entire lifetime.

What you can do to help:

1. Read, copy, and distribute this fact sheet.

2. Write to your federal legislators to request a
General Accounting Office (GAO) investigation of National Institutes of
Health (NIH) funded primate experimentation.

The Honorable____________ 202-234-3121
U.S. House of Representatives
www.house.gov
Washington, D.C. 20515